Interior & Exterior

Water in Your Basement? Here’s Where it May be Coming From

Moisture intrusion in your basement is more than a nuisance. It can cause significant damage which will force you to make expensive repairs. Even worse, moisture in your basement can promote the growth of mold which can be a health hazard. Water problems are common in basements, and luckily, they are not always difficult to deal with. Here are some possible sources of the water problems in your basement.

Poor Gutter Installation

The purpose of gutters is to move water away from the house. This protects the foundation and ultimately the rest of the house. If the gutters are not doing their job, water will run down the foundation walls every time it rains. It is only a matter of time before this water starts to seep into the walls giving your basement a constantly damp feeling. This is an easy fix, and if it is the only source of water intrusion, it will not take long to dry out the basement.

Leaks

Basic basement design usually includes the installation of pipes. It is hard to escape leaks, and even small leaks can create dampness and lead to mold growth. Freeze/thaw cycles can cause damage to pipes. Check your pipes after each winter season even if they did not freeze. If exterior pipes burst due to freezing, this is another situation where you can end up with a damp basement. If enough water pools around the foundation some of it soak through.

Sump Pump Failure

Some basements have sump basins to collect water so the basement will stay dry. The sump pump is a device that keeps the basin from overflowing by removing the water. If the pump fails, excess water will eventually get into the basement.

Unprotected Spaces

Water will find any available space to get through, so you must seal these off to keep your basement dry. Areas where water intrusion can become a problem include window wells and the joint between the wall and the foundation footing. If there are cracks in your foundation this can also lead to a wet basement.

No renovation work can take place in a damp basement. If you catch leaks or damp areas early, you can avoid major expenses later on. You can also avoid having delays on your basement remodeling project. Call us at our Maryland office at 410-877-6112 or our Delaware office at 302-793-9352, or feel free to call or text our cell at 443-309-1206 any time to schedule an appointment for a consultation or to discuss your current project in detail.